Long ways to go...

[Chaplin]

Originally posted by slinslin


A healthy Camby would be absolutely perfect for the Suns and much much better than Okur.

Key word is "healthy." Willing to bet 7 million bucks on that?

 

[Dr. Dumas]

Originally posted by Chaplin
Key word is "healthy." Willing to bet 7 million bucks on that?

Nope, but I'm willing to bet 7 million of the Suns money on it. Being serious now, I would definately offer Camby a 2 year deal. If he was looking for three, I would have to serious ponder that as well. Anything more and I would say forget it. Its a tough call. If he's healthy, he could help propell this team, and if he gets injured, he could really hamper this team financially.

 

[slinslin]

It wouldn't hamper the Suns really.

1. We aren't close to the luxury tax and could spend our MLE the following seasons most likely.

2. Camby isn't getting a max contract like Penny.

3. If he is injured for a significant time the insurance would pay the salary.

 

[Dr. Dumas]

After seeing Camby play the last Suns/Denver game, I have to say that I was pretty impressed with his style of play. He got a couple of blocks, not to mention probably changing multiple shots. His style would fit the Suns running game very nicely. I still think they should go after him as well as Vlade as a backup.

 

[George O'Brien]

At some point, free agents are about price. Even a stiff like Ostertag is worth having if he isn't too expensive (well under mid cap) with a short term contract. But I'm not sure I would make a big push for him.

I have a hard time with statements to the effect that the Suns should no look at someone because the guy MIGHT demand to be overpaid.

One situation where the price minimum is set is with Dampier, since it is a player option as with Kurt Thomas. Camby has a player option, but the contract has stuff in it that makes it hard for him to reach the contract amount.

But with guys like Divac, Okur, Dale Davis, Sheed Wallace, Ostertag, etc. it is hard to guess. All of these guys had big contracts and none of them will get anything close to what they were getting.

One point that gets missed is to decide what happens with White. Best guess is that the Sun can unload White to the Bobcats for the price of the $3 million bribe. He is a bargain at that price and has only one more year left on his contract.

Unloading White to sign a Kobe leaves the Suns notably weak at center. But to use the money to sign a center for $6 million leaves the Suns close to even in terms of cap space to use to get another shooter.

 

[elindholm]

I have a hard time with statements to the effect that the Suns should no look at someone because the guy MIGHT demand to be overpaid.

LOL, unless that player is Kobe Bryant, right?

 

[George O'Brien]

Originally posted by elindholm
I have a hard time with statements to the effect that the Suns should no look at someone because the guy MIGHT demand to be overpaid.

LOL, unless that player is Kobe Bryant, right?

Yada, yada, yada .

My concern is not that Kobe will want to be overpaid. It is just that putting all the cap money into Kobe precludes all other options. In any case, my concern has never been that the Suns would sign Kobe, but rather that they would clear cap space and not use their draft picks and NOT sign Kobe.

If there was an upper level center available, I'd have no problem if he was somewhat overpaid.

 

[cly2tw]

George,

with your talking about centers I still don't have a concrete idea which the future Suns team should look like with your FA center added plus further feasible FA signing or trades. ]

Your argument is that even if Kobe be available, you wouldn't want sign him since you need a center on this team right? I'd bet that for each such potential team, I could build a team with Kobe on it, which you'd agree would have much better chance to win a championship in foreseeable time.

To get Kobe, if he is a FA, you have to trade away either White, Eisley, or Marion or any combination of them, without getting back too much cap burden. In other word, we should talk about RE-building the franchise as a whole now we have a once in a life time chance to get a player like Kobe as FA, not just small pieces of fixing jobs as if we had already almost sound team.

 

[George O'Brien]

Originally posted by cly2tw
George,

with your talking about centers I still don't have a concrete idea which the future Suns team should look like with your FA center added plus further feasible FA signing or trades. ]

Your argument is that even if Kobe be available, you wouldn't want sign him since you need a center on this team right? I'd bet that for each such potential team, I could build a team with Kobe on it, which you'd agree would have much better chance to win a championship in foreseeable time.

To get Kobe, if he is a FA, you have to trade away either White, Eisley, or Marion or any combination of them, without getting back too much cap burden. In other word, we should talk about RE-building the franchise as a whole now we have a once in a life time chance to get a player like Kobe as FA, not just small pieces of fixing jobs as if we had already almost sound team.

As I said, I have problems with the sequence. If you use your draft picks, then you tie up cap space. While I am all for unloading Eisley, I'm not sure I would go above one draft pick on the outside chance that Kobe would be available. I'm also concerned about not using the draft picks (ie trading for future picks) on the outside chance that Kobe would be available and interested.

I still have concerns that dumping White to clear the space to sign Kobe. Since ti would mean not using the draft picks (they would tie up cap space) this would leave the Suns perpetually playing "small ball".

I can more easily imagine a trade that included Marion than a Marion salary dump. Maybe Atlanta would be in the market for Marion, since they have no players, but after getting rid of two former alls stars to clear cap space - I doubt it.

Considering how tense the situation is getting in LA, the Lakers may decide a sign and trade is better than nothing.
I don't see the Lakers wanting Marion even with draft picks because they will need a "make his own shot" shooter. Therefore, the only option would have to be a multiteam deal. It is unlikely, but not impossible.

As I have said all along, I am still not convinced Kobe will leave LA and the money he is certain to get next season. None the less, a trade that includes Marion is the least bad of the alternatives. It only ties up another $3 to $4 million and would give the Suns the ability to go for a FA center.

So what I would suggest Kobe fans should be doing is to look for teams with players the Lakers might want and ones that might also be able to use Marion. Assume some picks would be involved.